Waterlogged lawn

marleyboy

I live in Manchester, my problem stems with the garden, I'm guessing the previous tenant had a lawn, and removed it, as the layer in my garden seems too low, and just saturates in the rain, when I moved in it was overrun with weeds as tall as me. So i had the task of rotivating the soil after de-weeding, it took a good 3 months for it to grow any kind of lawn, but the lawn is just too muddy, my Son cant play football in the garden as he literally sinks. I tried to make a makeshift drainage system, just a trough around the edge of the lawn, but its still not good enough, I'm wondering what to do next, I dont want to invest a large sum of money on a new lawn, and would only consider top soil if it were a reasonable price, as my property is rented. Anyone got any tips or ideas???

Missy79

Has this just become a problem lately or is it an issue throughout the year? To be honest if it's just now I wouldn't worry too much - it's been so wet lately that unless you have exceptional drainage your going to be a bit waterlogged! (have you seen the news regarding cemetaries who can't do burials because it's too wet?)
I think a lot of people are having trouble, partly because it's so mild, people are wanting to go out in their gardens much earlier in the year.

Kay_Peel

We came up with some suggestions here, a couple of days ago:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=389922

It's fallen on to page 2, so you won't have seen it.

Hope they help

Kp

marleyboy

no its ben like this since I moved in (6 years ago).

Poppycat

Must admit is been very rainy of late and windy too, hopefully Winter is going.

I had problems yesterday with my flat roof leaking.

Not a big gardener myself as I dont have a huge garden just got one last month, hope you get the matter resolved anyhow

marleyboy

My Garden is huge, as its an end house in a cul de sac, it was a right state when I moved in, its took a lot of work planting trees and shrubbery round the border, but im at a loss with the lawn til Summer, I get the grass nice n green, but it still floods.

Poppycat

I wonder if you soil is partly responsible, ie boggy clay perhaps. I suppose better drainage would be the solution but if it was your own garden, and not rented.

Would more organic material help if its in the soil?

marleyboy

Well there was clay at one side of the garden, near to where the patio was built, but it was limited to just a section. There was two huge dead trees when I moved in, it took ages to dig them out, and some of the roots are still embedded in there, I cant budge those. Makes me wonder if the trees drowned, looking at the lawn to the border, its obvious that the top layer was removed, maybe turf lawn was originally there and taken out, it seems lower than it sould be

angelavdavis

The problem sounds like a fairly tricky one to fix cheaply, you would have to install drainage channels of gravel under the lawn - something called a french drain:

http://www.stylegardens.co.uk/web_ga.../diysos1c.html
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/lazy...nch_drains.htm
http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/frenchdrains.htm

Basically, you have to dig channels about six inches high under the lawn sloping away from the house and toward a big hole - known as a soakaway that you need to dig out at the lowest point (away from the house). Line the hole/channel with landscaping fabric and top with gravel, compacting well. Cover the gravel with more landscaping fabric, soil and replace the lawn over the top.

The first and last links say to use porose pipe lining the hole, but I have found gravel to be adequate - it really depends on the size of the problem. You would need to place the channels across the lawn area so they can drain the water away.

The preference is to put the soakaway into the border area, so the plants use the water, rather than run the risk of an area that might turn boggy still being on your lawn.

lolly5648

Our lawn gets very waterlogged (something to do with the local stables diverting a stream) and is mostly moss. We scarify and put down more seed each year but never have a good lawn.

A couple of neighbours have willow trees which seem to make their lawns drier but our garden is only 50' long so the roots could damage the house.

Are there such things as dwarf willows or other plants that would soak up the water?

Jnelhams

Bamboo would, but can be a bit uncontrollable. Have you spoken to the local Water company about this Stream diversion? It may not be legal, also DEFRA can advise on this via the National Rivers Authority.